When I was walking on the street, suddenly, a fortune teller told me “You are going to die tomorrow “.
I thought that is silly talking but I was anxious about it. So, I asked my doctor ...and surprisingly he also said “Unfortunately, your life lasts till tomorrow “.
Can you believe that?
I had never thought about it. I thought that death would be a long way in the future.
I found that tears were flowing down my face and I couldn’t breathe.
One day I woke from a bad dream at 6 am, it was a really scary dream, a nightmare. The day before I’d studied some literature that mentioned about death, so it must have been on my mind before I slept.
But...wait for a second!
“Is death just a bad dream?”
As everyone knows, regardless of gender, age or race, everybody must die.
So we had better not regard death as a bad dream.
Today, I want to share with you my thoughts about this phrase ”Memento Mori “
This is a classical Latin phrase often used in English literature, movies and music.
It means: Remember you must die.
I think the meaning might be that you should try to fulfill your life in more meaningful ways than money or luxuries.
In fact, the best science and technology are available now, but also there’s no guarantee that life will be perfect tomorrow.
Actually, I have the terrible experience of losing a very close friend, twice. Both of them were in their mid-30s and suddenly they suffered fatal heart attacks.
One of them I spoke to on the phone just 2-days before he passed away. At that time, the end of the conversation, I said: “See you soon. Let’s have dinner or something…”
I used to see him regularly, so I though “see you soon” would mean “soon.” We always used to say “see you soon” before we would meet again.
Now, these words have no meaning and I would never see him again.
I should have told him more often that I appreciated him but I also wanted to to tell him that I didn’t like it when he was drunk and dancing everywhere.
The other friend who saved me passed away.
About 5 years ago, I was tired of my life and stayed in hospital.
Actually, I couldn’t eat or sleep and I couldn’t find a reason to live.
At that time, my friend told me that I was not alone and people cared about me, including him.
He tried to save me from my misery as much as he could. He was a real life saver for me.
When I left the hospital, my life was getting better, but suddenly I heard he had passed away.
The date he died was really close to my birthday, so when my birthday is coming, I think about the day I was born and the day he was die.
So I think of birth and death at the same time.
Actually, from the moment we are first born; from the first breath we take, we are on the road to death.
This is what I learned from my friends who loved me and loved their lives since the moment they were born.
“Memento Mori” teaches us that death is coming, but there is another expression: ‘Memento Vivere’ It teaches us remember to live.
The death of my friends also told me, each day is a miracle.
Yesterday is something that has already gone. Unrepeatable.
Tomorrow is something that may or may not come. Unpredictable.
But today is something that is present right in front of you right now. Obtainable.
This is the present given to everyone of you who are present, a valuable gift you should treasure.
Memento mori. Memento vivere.
I know my choice. What is yours?